Method for producing explosives



Patented Nov. 13, 1923;

UNTED STATES PATENT 'OFFHQ WILLIAM B. STURGIS, OF CHICAGO. ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL EXPLOSIVES COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE METHOD FOR PRODUCING EXPLOSIVES.

R'o Drawing. Original application filed July 23, 1919, Serial No. 312,671.

filed December 31, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known. that I, WILLIAM B. STURGIS,

a citizen of the United States, residin at Chicago, in the county of Cook and tate 6 of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods for Producing Explosives, of which the following isa specification.

The object of my present invention is the provision of an improved method for produci'ng a powerful explosive which shall have a low freezi point and shall be inexpensive to manufacture.

It is known that dinitrochlorhydrin, produced by the nitration of monochlorhydrin, is an explosive having certain desirable properties, including a low freezing point, but because of the expense of producing this explosive as compared with nitroglycerin, for example,- its commercial manufacture has been found impracticable.

I have discovered, however, that monochlorhydrin is an extremely eflicient solvent for certain inexpensive carbohydrates, such tion of monochlorhydrin and one or more carbohydrates, such as sugars, produces a very desirable explosive. Its freezing point is exceedingly low, it is easily purified and stabilized, its explosive strength is substantially equal to that of nitroglycerin, and the cost of manufacture is low. This explosive contains dinitrochlorhydrin, and one or more nitrated carbohydrates.

It may be found desirable in some instances to include in the explosive other nitrated components, such, for example, as nitroglycerin. Such an explosive may be produced by nitrating a solution of monochlorhydrin, one or more carbohydrates, and glycerin. The final product obtained from the nitration of this last named solution and subsequent Purification contains nitroglycerin, dinitrochlorhydrin and one or more nitrated carbohydrates. A solution of monochlorhydrin, carbohydrates, and glycerin may be obtained b adding the desired carbohydrates to the so ution resulting from the reaction occurring between glycerin and 50 hydrochloric acid when subjected to certain gconditioiis of temperature and pressure.

- Under ordinary conditions, and especially if the chlorinating process is conducted at atmospheric presure or too high temperaas sugars, and that the nitration of a solu Divided and this application Serial No. 526,252.

ture, some diglycerin is usually formed. In case the monochlorhydrin-carbohydrate-glycerin solution so obtained is nitrated, the resultant roduct will usually contain some tetranitrogiglycerin, and nitrated hydrochloric acid esters of diglycerin in addition to the nitrated components above mentioned.

I have already called attention in the preceding paragi aph to the fact that, in the preparation of monochlorhydrin, unless special precautions are observed, there is likely to be formed an appreciable quantity of diglycerin. When this occurs and a mixture of monochlorhydriii, glycerin and diglyceri n is nitrated and subsequently purified, an emulsion is very apt to form from which it is more difficult to separate the Wash waters. This also occurs to some extent in the purification of a nitrated solution of sugar in glycerin.

Should, however, the two solutions just described be mixed together and the resulant solution nitrated and purified,\a very much worse emulsion occurs, and this not only seriously interferes with the proper purification of the product but also causes an increased loss in vield. For this reason it is sometimes preferable to nitrate and purify the solutions separately and then combine them in the desired proportions.

For the reasons explained above, wherever in the following claims the word monochlorhydrin or the expression a solution containing monochlorhydrin occurs,

it is to be understood that this refers to the product produced by treatin glycerin on a commercial scale for use in the manufacture of explosives, and that said product frequently contains appreciable amounts of diglycerin, and unconverted glycerin.

In the preparation, therefore, of any of the above explosives, instead of nitrating a solution containing all of the desired'co nponents, the various components may be. ni-.

trated separately or in various combinations, and the resulting nitrated products may then be combined. It is to this last mentioned method of eflecting the nitration that the claims of the present application, are directed, this application being a division of my 'OO-PfiIldlIl application Serial No. 312,671, filed uly 23, 1919, Patent No. 1,463,980 Aug. 7, 1923. V

To the explosives described herein, there y the carbohydrates and trates (such as nitrated vegetable ivory and perchlorate) chlorates and sodium nitrates, absorbents (such! as wood flour, saw-dust,

etcizfil 's invention is not limited to the particular materials, components, products, p or methods described above, since obviously many changes may be made therewithout departing from the spirit or pe of my invention as set forth in the ap nded claims. claim:

. 1. A method of producing explosives which consists in taking two separate quantities of glycerin and monochlorhydrln in one of WhlCh is included a carbohydrate which is soluble therein, nitrating separately the two quantities, and mixing the two nitrated products together.

2'. A method of producing explosives which consists in taking a quantity of glycerin and a quantity of monochlorhydrin, adding to one of said quantities a carbohydrate which is soluble therein, nitrating separately the uantity containing the carbohydrate and t e other quantity, and mixing the two nitratedmproducts together. 3. method of pr ucing explosives which consists in taking a uantity of glycerin and a-quantity of monoc lorhydrin, adding to one of these quantities more than one carbohydrate which is soluble therein, nitrating separately the (uantity containing t e other uantity,

and mixing the two nitrated products together..

4. A which consists in taking a uantity of g1 cerin and a quantity of monocdilorhydrin, a dmg to one of said quantities a sugar,

nitrating separately the quantity containing the sugar and the other quantity, and mixing the two nitrated products together.

5. A method of producing explosives which consists in -.taking a uantity of g1 cerin and a quantity of monoc lorhydrin, a ding to one of said quantities more method of producing explosives taining glycerin and a carbohydrate which is soluble in glycerine, and mixin this nitrated solution with dinitrochlorhy rin.

7. A method of producing explosives which consists in nitrating a solution containing glycerin and more than one carbohydrate, which is soluble in glycerine, and

mixing this nitrated solution with dinitrochlorhydrin. I

8. A method of producing explosives which consists in nitrating a solution containing glycerin and a carbohydrate which is soluble in glycerine, and mixing this nitrated solution with any mixture containing dinitrochlorhydrin.

9. A method of producing explosives which consists in nitrating a solution containing a glycerin and more than one carbohydrate which is soluble in glycerine, and

.mixing this nitrated solution with any mixture containing dinitrochlorhydrin.

10. The method of producing explosives which consists in nitrating a solution containing glycerin and a sugar, and mixing this nitrated solution with dinitrochlorhydrin.

11. The method of producing explosives which consists in nitrating asolution containing glycerin and more than one variety of sugar, and mixing this nitrated solution with dinitrochlorhydrin.

12. The method of producing explosives which consists in nitrating a solution cohtaining glycerin and a sugar, and mixing this nitrated solution with a mixture containin dinitrochlorhydrin. g

-13. he method of producing explosives which consists in nitrating a solution'containing glycerin and more than one variety of sugar, and mixing this nit-rated solution Evith a mixture containing dinitrochlorhy- .rin.

subscribed my name.

WILLIAM B. STURfiIS.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto 

